Workshares helped the harvest crew harvest garlic last week and place it in the greenhouse to dry

1) In Your Box this Week

2) Farm News:

• From the Farmer’s Perspective … Garlic and Potatoes
• “What is Sustainable Agriculture?” By Grit Ramuschkat, JBG Resident

3)  Updates, Meetings, and  Events

• Important News!  New Thursday Drop Off Site to begin soon  at the Flagship Whole Foods, 5th and Lamar.
• Help JBG Grow: Refer a Friend, Get a Free Box!
• JBG T-Shirts are In Stock!  Sign Up Today and Get a Free Johnson’s Backyard Garden T-Shirt!
• Workshares!  Come Help Us Weed Our Storage Onions!
• Nominations for a New Drop-off Site.

4) Quotable Food

5) Recipes, by Melissa Vance

• Kohlrabi Greens Gratin
• White Bean and Arugula Ragout
• Super Simple Glazed Carrots with Thyme
• Carrot Bread by Robyn Sutton

6) Produce Storage Tips

7) Johnson’s Backyard Garden Contact Info

bright lights Swiss chard growing over at River Road

1) In Your Box this Week

Carrots
Kale
Beets
Kohlrabi or Cabbage
Green Onions
Lettuce
Dill
Fennel
Broccoli

Coming Soon!

Potatoes
Tomatoes
Basil
Peppers
Garlic
Leeks

2) Farm News:

• From the Farmer’s Perspective … Slow Money, Whole Foods, GAP… a Busy Season Ahead
  

Last Wednesday was a busy day for us at JBG.  We started with a Fox news crew here at 7am, filming our fields and talking to us about our slow money efforts over the last several months (check out the news story here.  There are two videos; scroll to the right to find the second one).  Around 10am, a film crew on behalf of A&M and the Texas Department of Agriculture came to film our work for a video documenting local agriculture and local businesses. Meanwhile, for most of the afternoon Brenton was at the Slow Money Conference downtown, discussing how JBG has raised over $550,000 in funds, land and equipment through slow money.

After the conference there was a mixer happy hour for the attendees.  Brenton quit drinking a year ago (he’s proud to say it was exactly 1 year yesterday, April 26th!), but he went to the mixer so he could talk with all the slow money folk at the conference, and he made some great connections!  He ended up meeting a few Whole Foods reps who knew Brenton from the Slow Food Tour we did back in March.  They talked about a possible partnership with Whole Foods, in which they could become a CSA pickup site for us, and we could sell them some of the extra stuff we are really good at growing, like tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers.  “You should really talk to our team leader,” they told Brenton.  So he did, and before he knew it, he  talking with half a dozen Whole Foods reps about JBG and Austin’s local food chain.  They came out with a win-win situation.  Whole Foods can help JBG by giving us an outlet to sell extra produce, and also help train us in harvesting, packaging, and post-harvest handling.   We hope to get all of our harvesting staff GAP (Good Agriculture Practices) certified (sometimes Whole Foods even shares the cost of certification with producers for on-site training).  This will make all our food handling safer, more efficient, and higher quality for our CSA members, so we can’t wait to get started.

As for the fields, we are ready to begin tying our tomatoes at River Road farm.  Some of the early season varieties are already pretty bushy, and many are producing small, green tomatoes.  We should have a good crop in just a few weeks.  Also, the new potatoes are ready to be harvested.  We’re planning on digging some this week for next week’s boxes!  New potatoes are a little different from many of the potatoes you get in the store.  Often when you see “new potatoes” at the grocer’s, it is generally next to a bin of small, round potatoes.  But the real difference is that new potatoes are harvested and sold within a few days, instead of put in storage for weeks or months.  There’s nothing wrong with storage crops, of course, we store some crops, too.  But fresh crops are always a special treat, and even our storage crops aren’t stored for very long before they go out to our customers.  This summer season is going to be a busy one at JBG, but that’s just the way we like it.

• “What is Sustainable Agriculture?” By Grit Ramuschkat, JBG Resident

Like the word organic, (Google generates 142,000,000 hits) the word sustainable has become über fashionable (64,000,000 hits). A lot of things can be sustainable: agriculture, architecture, business, a community…even a roadshow. Besides their hip-status, big brother Organic and little sister Sustainable share another similarity. Both words have been overused to the extent that their users and readers have become thoroughly desensitized to their meaning. Even more than the word organic, sustainable is a very vague term, giving its users lots of opportunity for interpretation. In agriculture, this can be a blessing or a curse.

For James E. Horne, author of “The Next Green Revolution”, it’s a blessing. Instead of seeing the phrase sustainable agriculture as something that means very little, he sees it as a philosophy, a new way of thinking about farming.

Sustainable is defined as “enduring”, explains Horne. The concept of what is sustainable came into being during the energy crisis of the 1970s when it was noticed that our rapid use of oil might not be. It was then defined as “maintaining the present without compromising the future”. The emphasis here is on stewardship – maintaining the present so that it stays the future.

One definition of “sustainable agriculture” that Horne provides is, “an agriculture that can evolve indefinitely toward greater human utility, greater efficiency of resource use and a balance with the environment that is favorable both to humans and to most other species.” While this definition may not be favorable to the mosquito, it includes the idea that sustainable agriculture is not one method of agriculture etched in stone, but one that is flexible, constantly evolving, adapting and re-adapting to place and circumstance. This is an important point and very different from the approach industrial agriculture utilizes. There, the same methods are practiced anywhere and everywhere. The environment is modified to suit the methods—at huge resource and environmental costs—not the other way around.

The Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture in Iowa defines sustainable agriculture as “farming systems that are environmentally sound, profitable, productive and maintain the social fabric of the rural community.” This definition includes a few new points. One is social integration. For an agricultural system to be sustainable, the living and working conditions of farm laborers, consumer health and safety and the needs of rural communities have to be addressed. Emphasis also rests on the profitability of the farming enterprise. For it to be sustainable it is also has to be profitable. The challenge is to build a bridge between being both ecologically sound and economically profitable.

To learn more about the concept of sustainability and eight steps farmers and consumers can take towards a healthy, sustainable agriculture, I recommend, “The Next Green Revolution” by James E. Horne & Maura McDermott.

Enrique and Temo seeding arugula and amending the soil. Check out the yellow bean picker in the background!

3)  Updates, Meetings, and  Events

• Important News!  New Thursday Drop Off Site to begin at the Flagship Whole Foods, 5th and Lamar.

We’re excited to announce that the Flagship Whole Foods at 6th and Lamar will be a new THURSDAY CSA pickup site!  Members would be able to pick up their boxes at the Guest Services desk in the produce/floral department from 1:30 to 7 p.m.   At this site only, you’d be able to take the whole box with you–not just the contents–then return the cardboard box when you pick up the next week.  We are still finalizing the details, but we’re hoping to begin drop offs next Thursday, May 6.

If you currently pick up at a different site and would like to change your pickup location, you can do so in the members section of our web site by signing into your account.  Or, you can call us at 386-5273 or email farm@jbgorganic.com

Whole Foods is located at 525 N. Lamar.

• Help JBG Grow: Refer a Friend, Get a Free Box!

As you know, JBG just expanded from 20 acres to nearly 70!  This summer, we will have enough organic veggies to supply 1,000 Austinites, and we want to make sure we hit that target!  We’re looking to our trusted CSA members to help us with our expansion.  Tell your friends about us!  If they sign up for a 10-week membership and mention that they were referred by you, then we will add a complimentary box to your subscription!  If your friend signs up for a 4-week membership, we’ll give you a free Johnson’s Backyard Garden American Apparel T-Shirt.  Help us get more people eating organic, local veggies and make a more organic Austin!

These T-shirts are American Apparel’s sustainable edition, 100% organic cotton.  Available in carrot or beet design.  Limited quantity in stock.

• Workshares!  Come Help Us Weed Our Storage Onions!

You helped us with garlic, now it’s time to weed our storage onions!   One allium down, and one more to go.  So if you’re ready for some rigorous, good old-fashioned weeding, get on your work boots, we’ll give you a hoe, and you can come out this week to help us weed all of our lovely red, white, and yellow onions.  You can cry all morning and we’ll all think it’s just the onions!

• Nominations for a New Drop-off Site

We have gotten a few nominations for new drop off sites around Austin.  Here they are, in no particular order:

• Circle C/South Austin
• Georgetown
• Another Round Rock drop off
• Belterra
• North Austin

Let us know what you think!  Have something to add to the list?  Just shoot us an email.  Also, we are open to workplace drop off sites, if there is enough interest.  If you think you can drum up support at your work place and would like us to consider making it a new drop off site, please contact our office at 386-5273 or farm@jbgorganic.com.

4) Quotable Food

“Life on a farm is a school of patience; you can’t hurry the crops or make an ox in two days” –Henri Alain

5) Recipes, by Melissa Vance

• Kohlrabi Greens Gratin

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 medium onion, small dice
8-10 cremini or baby bella mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Kohlrabi greens from 4-5 bulbs, stems removed, sliced thinly
2 egg yolks, beaten
1/2 cup ricotta
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1/4 cup cream
1/2 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Kosher salt and black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Add the oil to a sauté pan over medium heat.  When oil is hot, add the onions and cook until almost translucent.  Add the mushrooms and sweat until cooked through. Add the garlic and sauté, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add the kohlrabi greens and mix well. Allow to cook until wilted. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine the egg yolks, ricotta, parmesan cheese, cream, and a dash of salt and pepper. Combine the greens with this mixture and transfer to a baking dish.

In a small bowl, drizzle the panko crumbs with the melted butter and mix thoroughly. Top the greens with the panko evenly.  Bake for 30 minutes or until the crumbs turn golden brown.

Cook’s Note: I saved several weeks worth of kohlrabi greens (green and purple) for this recipe although any kind of greens would work well.  It’s a fantastic way to use leftover greens!

• White Bean and Arugula Ragout

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 large onion, medium dice
6 baby bella mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can white beans, cannellini or great northern, drained and rinsed
2 sprigs thyme, stems removed, chopped
1/4 cup chicken or vegetable stock
2 big handfuls arugula, stems trimmed
Kosher salt and black pepper

Melt the butter and oil in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onions and sweat until translucent.  Add the mushrooms and sauté until lightly browned.  Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute.  Add the beans, thyme, and stock.  Cook until the beans are heated through.  Stir in the arugula, and cook until wilted.  Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Cook’s Note: If you have the time to cook dry beans, use a little of the starchy soaking liquid along with the stock to moisten the ragout.  When in season, I also like to add a diced tomato.  This dish pairs wonderfully with lamb.  Enjoy!

• Super Simple Glazed Carrots with Thyme

3 large carrots, sliced
2 tablespoons butter
1-2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
2 sprigs thyme, stems removed, chopped
Kosher salt and black pepper

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add the carrots, honey, and stock.  Bring to a simmer and cook until the carrots are tender.  Add the thyme and continue to cook until the sauce reduces to a glaze that clings to the carrots.  Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.

Cook’s Note: Be prepared – this recipe NEVER has leftovers!  Use some lemon juice to balance the flavor if the glaze becomes too sweet for your liking.  If the sauce starts to reduce to a glaze before the carrots are tender, add a little water.  Enjoy!

• Carrot Bread by Robyn Sutton

Robyn Sutton emailed us this recipe “that her family has become addicted to.”  Sounds delish!

3/4 cup apple sauce (we used peach!)

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 diced, drained pineapple

2 cups all-purpose flour (we used fresh milled wheat flour and it turned out fine)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 eggs

1 pinch salt

2 cup grated carrots

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

6) Produce Storage Tips

Drowning in beets?  They’ve been in the boxes a lot lately because they’re heat hearty enough to get through these warm temperatures!  But not to fear.  Did you know beets can last several weeks in your fridge if they’re stored properly?  When you get them home, simply remove the greens and stems from the beets, and store the beets in a plastic bag or tupperware.  Greens suck out energy from the root, so with most root vegetables, it’s a good idea to remove the greens.  The best part about beet greens is that they are delicious in stir frys or soups, so be sure to use those a little quicker than the roots themselves.

Chioggia Beets have phytonutrients that give them their brilliant color. Be sure to enjoy the beet greens, too. Cook them like swiss chard.

7) Johnson’s Backyard Garden Contact Info

Johnson’s Backyard Garden
9515 Hergotz Lane, Box E
Austin, TX 78742
Office Phone: 512.386.5273
Office Hours: M-Th 8am to 5pm, Friday 8am to 12pm

The farm office is closed 12 pm to 1 pm for lunch.

e-mail: farm@jbgorganic.com

Delicious baby onions from last week's box

1) In Your Box this Week

2) Farm News:

• From the Farmer’s Perspective …
• “Farm Kids” By Grit Ramuschkat, JBG Resident

3)  Updates, Meetings, and  Events

• Help JBG Grow: Refer a Friend, Get a Free Box!
• JBG T-Shirts are In Stock!  Sign Up Today and Get a Free Johnson’s Backyard Garden T-Shirt!
• We Want 5 Nominations for a Thursday CSA Drop-off Site
• Workshares!  Come Help Us Harvest Garlic!
• Nominate JBG as Your Favorite Slow Money Business!

4) Quotable Food

5) Recipes, by Melissa Vance

• Sweet and Tangy Broccoli Salad
• Chipotle-Citrus Fajita Tacos with Escarole and Pickled Onions
• Italian White Bean and Escarole Soup

6) Produce Storage Tips

7) Johnson’s Backyard Garden Contact Info

1) In Your Box this Week

Carrots
Beets
Swiss Chard
Kohlrabi
Green Onions
Lettuce
Frisee
Parsley or Dill
Fennel
Arugula or Broccoli

2) Farm News:

• From the Farmer’s Perspective … We Grow, You Eat
  

Brenton has a big smile on his face this morning.  What’s making Brent so happy?  Well, we are 100% on schedule for our planting at the new farm!  Last week we planted 34 beds of winter squash to go with our summer squash, cukes, corn and okra.  Not to mention our mountain of potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers.  We also received the results from our soil test from River Road farm, and we were very happy with the results!  Good soil, fairly similar to our Hergotz property. Everything over there is looking very healthy.  As Hergotz farm winds down and River Road is just beginning, it’s a good time to reflect on the importance of farming in Austin, and around the country.

CSA’s are a unique business.  Part grocery store, part farmers market, part delivery service, a CSA is different from all of them because it allows you to connect with a farm on a very personal level.  CSA’s are about community; when you become a member of a CSA–of our CSA–you become more than a patron, you become an active member of Johnson’s Backyard Garden. While the crew at JBG plant and grow and harvest, our members cook, eat, and offer their support.  Both sides of this relationship are integral to the workings of a farm.  We wouldn’t be able to grow food if we didn’t have anyone to take it from us!  That’s why a CSA is more than just a business transaction, it’s a relationship between farmer and consumer.  We grow, you eat.

When you come to pick up your boxes or see us at the markets, we hope you feel some sense of ownership over our veggies, because you are the ones who make growing them possible.  We hope you come out to our events, come out to visit the farm and meet the staff, workshare, chat with the interns at the farmers market, shoot us an email and let us know what you are doing with your veggies.  Because the importance of a CSA is that it’s not just about what you eat, but where what you eat comes from.

A picture of our longtime friend and supporter Lisa Quintero's backyard garden. That huge plant in the back is an artichoke. Send us pics of your backyard garden and we'll post them!

• “Farm Kids” By Grit Ramuschkat, JBG Resident

3)  Updates, Meetings, and  Events

• Help JBG Grow: Refer a Friend, Get a Free Box!

As you know, JBG just expanded from 20 acres to nearly 70!  This summer, we will have enough organic veggies to supply 1,000 Austinites, and we want to make sure we hit that target!  We’re looking to our trusted CSA members to help us with our expansion.  Tell your friends about us!  If they sign up for a 10-week membership and mention that they were referred by you, then we will add a complimentary box to your subscription!  If your friend signs up for a 4-week membership, we’ll give you a free Johnson’s Backyard Garden American Apparel T-Shirt.  Help us get more people eating organic, local veggies and make a more organic Austin!

• JBG T-Shirts are In Stock!  Sign Up Today and Get a Free Johnson’s Backyard Garden T-Shirt!

Show off your love for organic and local veggies!  These T-shirts are American Apparel’s sustainable edition, 100% organic cotton.  Available in carrot or beet design.  Limited quantity in stock, so sign up soon, because once they’re gone, they’re gone!

• We Want 5 Nominations for a Thursday CSA Drop-off Site

We’d like to begin delivering our CSA boxes on Thursdays, in addition to Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.  If you have a suggestion for a drop-off location on Thursday, or you’d like to be a host yourself, please contact our office at farm@jbgorganic.com or 386-5273.

• Workshares!  Come Help Us Harvest Garlic!

Last week workshares helped us harvest 5 beds of garlic!  But we are still at it this week–we have about 10 beds left!  Come out this week and help us finish up our garlic harvest.  Mosquito and vampire repellent included!

• Nominate JBG as Your Favorite Slow Money Business!

The Slow Money Alliance is taking votes on your favorite slow money businesses.  If you mention JBG, we’ll be promoted at their national gathering in Vermont this June.  It just takes a second, so click over and give us a shout out!

4) Quotable Food

“Whether we and our politicians know it or not, Nature is party to all our deals and decisions, and she has more votes, a longer memory, and a sterner sense of justice than we do” –Wendell Berry

5) Recipes, by Melissa Vance

• Sweet and Tangy Broccoli Salad

• 3 cups small broccoli florets
• 1/2 cup canola mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1-2 tablespoons honey
• Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• Pinch garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon red onion, finely diced
• 1/3 cup golden raisins
• 2 tablespoons sunflower kernels

Wash broccoli florets and dry thoroughly (if broccoli remains wet it will make the dressing too runny).  Set aside.

Combine the mayo, vinegar, honey, salt, pepper, red pepper, and garlic powder in a small bowl.  Whisk to combine.  Taste, and adjust seasoning to your liking.

In a large bowl, combine the broccoli, dressing, onion, raisins, and sunflower kernels.  Make sure the dressing is even distributed.  Place in the fridge and let sit for at least an hour, stirring every so often to ensure the broccoli stays evenly coated.  Serve chilled.

Cook’s Note: This recipe is also wonderful with bits of pancetta sprinkled in it.  It is always well received at pot lucks and BBQs.  Enjoy!

• Chipotle-Citrus Fajita Tacos with Escarole and Pickled Onions

Marinade:

• 2 oranges, juiced
• 1 lime, juiced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 2 chipotle chilies in adobo, pureed
• 3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Pickled Onions

• 1 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons raw sugar
• 6 whole black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon pickling spice
• 1 red onion, peeled and thinly sliced

Tacos

• 1 – 1 1/2 pounds skirt steak (beef, bison, or yak), trimmed
• Kosher salt and Black Pepper
• 1 head escarole, trimmed and sliced thinly
• Red wine vinegar and olive oil
• Whole wheat tortillas
• Good quality Salsa
• Goat cheese, optional

Prepare the marinade:

Place all marinade ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine.  Pour into a plastic bag and add the skirt steak.  Seal well, removing as much air as possible, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Prepare the pickled onions:

Place all ingredients except the onions in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and allow to cool at room temperature.  Strain and pour liquid over the onions.  Steep in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Assembly:

Heat a grill or grill pan over medium high heat.  Remove meat from the marinade and pat dry with a paper towel.  Season both sides liberally with salt and pepper and place on grill, cooking for 4-5 minutes on each side.  Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes before cutting against the grain into strips.

Sprinkle the escarole with red wine vinegar, olive oil, and salt and pepper.  Toss well to dress evenly.

Toast the tortillas over a medium low flame, turning frequently with tongs to prevent burning.

Fill each tortilla with strips of the skirt steak, salsa, escarole, pickled onions, and goat cheese (if desired).  Serve immediately.

Cook’s Note: I used yak in this recipe and it turned out great.  The marinade really comes through nicely.  The leftover pickled onions can be used for sandwiches and salads and they store well in the fridge.   Enjoy!

• Italian White Bean and Escarole Soup

• 2 strips bacon, cut into matchsticks
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced into small rounds
• 6 medium button mushrooms, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• 1 (15oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed, drained
• 1 (14.5oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
• 5 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup small pasta, such as macaroni
• 1 head escarole, chopped into bite size strips
• Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1 green onion, green parts only, sliced thinly
• Parmesan, grated

Place a soup pot over medium heat, add the bacon and sauté until the bacon renders down and becomes crispy.  Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside.  Add additional oil to the pot if needed.

Add the onion and sweat until they start to become translucent.  Add the carrots and continue to cook about 5-8 minutes or until the onions are fully cooked.  Add the mushrooms and sauté until lightly browned.  Add the garlic and sauté while stirring until fragrant, about 1 min.  Add the Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, beans, tomatoes, broth, and salt to taste.  Bring to a boil then lower the heat to maintain a low simmer.

Once the soup is simmering, add the pasta and the escarole.  Cook until the pasta is tender and the escarole is wilted.  Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, to taste.  Serve hot; topping the bowls with green onion, grated parmesan and crispy bacon.

Cook’s Note: Swiss chard and beet greens are fine substitutes for the escarole, although the escarole practically melts in your mouth when prepared this way.  This soup is wonderful with crusty wheat bread and a glass of red wine.  Enjoy!

6) Produce Storage Tips

Lots of spring greens in the boxes during these cool months.  We hope you are enjoying them, since they’ll be gone soon, and they’re some of the most nutritious vegetables around!  But what do you do if you can’t get through all of them in a week?  Don’t fret, storing greens is pretty easy, and they last longer than you think!  All you need is a plastic bag (which you can reuse from week to week).  If you separate and wash the bunch of greens in cool water, then place it in the plastic bag in your fridge, your greens should last you over a week, probably around 2 weeks.  If you see them getting a little wilty, place them in the vegetable crisper for added protection, but don’t forget about them there!  Greens go wilty faster because of dry air.  The plastic wrapped around it helps to keep in the moisture and keep the greens crisp and fresh!

Any other storage tips?  Send them our way!

Brenton and Neysa look over a new sweet potato planter, purchased with the help of slow money

7) Johnson’s Backyard Garden Contact Info

Johnson’s Backyard Garden
9515 Hergotz Lane, Box E
Austin, TX 78742
Office Phone: 512.386.5273
Office Hours: M-Th 8am to 5pm, Friday 8am to 12pm

The farm office is closed 12 pm to 1 pm for lunch.

e-mail: farm@jbgorganic.com

The potluck on Saturday was a hit with the young folk

1) In Your Box this Week

2) Farm News:

• From the Farmer’s Perspective … Help Us Get More People Eating Fresh, Organic and Local Vegetables!
• “Slow Milk?” By Grit Ramuschkat, JBG Resident
• JBG Now Hiring: Delivery Driver and Packing Shed Worker

3)  Updates, Meetings, and  Events

• Spring Potluck Recap!
• Slow Money Austin 2010 Conference at Austin City Hall, April 21st
• Interested in Becoming a CSA Site Host?
• Nominate JBG as Your Favorite Slow Money Business!
• Workshares!  Come Help Us Harvest Garlic!

4) Quotable Food

5) Recipes

• Romano Risotto with Radishes
• Escarole, Fennel, and Orange Salad

6) Produce Storage Tips

7) Johnson’s Backyard Garden Contact Info

Ag Commissioner Todd Staples paid us a visit on Friday. JBG will be featured in a future GoTexan film about local agriculture!

1) In Your Box this Week

Carrots
Radish
Spinach or Kale
Kohlrabi
Green Onions
Lettuce
Endive
Leeks
Arugula
Parsley or Dill

2) Farm News:

• From the Farmer’s Perspective … Help us Get More People Eating Fresh, Organic and Local Vegetables!
  

Many of you came out on Saturday for our annual potluck.  It was a wonderful day to be around our CSA community, and we were so excited to see all of you and show you where your food is being grown!  For those of you who took the farm tour around the Hergotz Field, we hope you noticed something:  Hergotz Field is winding down.  Most of what you saw on Saturday are the crops we planted in winter that are giving their last performance now in the spring: broccoli, beets, kale, collards, etc.  As we get ready to put Hergotz Field into a cover crop, as far as the future goes, River Road field is where it’s at!   We have an amazing amount of food growing over there: potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, okra, corn, eggplant, peppers, basil, all getting ready to go into your boxes this summer.   We hope to have an event out there in the future so all of you can see our new pad.

Let me give you some numbers.  Remember that River Road is twice the size of Hergotz.  At the new farm, we currently have about 70 beds of heirloom, slicer, and cherry tomatoes growing (they’re about a foot tall right now).  A bed is 400 feet long; that means 28,000 feet of tomatoes!  On Saturday, Brenton planted about 10,000 basil plants.  Also sprouting up green leaves right now are 100 beds of potatoes.  That’s right, 100 beds of Purple Majesty, Red Gold, Yukon Gold… these are going to be a real treat this spring; we’re expecting them to be ready next month!

We have all of this food growing over at River Road, and we are thrilled to begin distributing it to Austin residents.  Here at JBG our mission is to get everyone in Austin eating local, organic vegetables.  We currently have the capability to feed about 1,000 people, but our membership is only half that!  That means that we can really kick into gear this season, increase our membership, and spread the organic, local love.  You can help get more people eating organic, local veggies, too.  In fact, we are relying on your help!  All of you, current members or just regular readers of our newsletter, can help by simply telling friends and family about us.  We do some publicizing on our own, but we’ve found that word of mouth is by far our best advertising.  Since you’re at your computer now, you could send some friends the link to our website, or forward them our farm blog.  Good news travels fast, so refer a friend or two, and help JBG get fresh healthy food to as many people as we can!

Thanks to the girl scout troop that visited us last week. The girls got to harvest some organic veggies and take them home

• “Slow Milk?” By Grit Ramuschkat, JBG Resident

• JBG Now Hiring Delivery Driver and Packing Shed Worker

If you are interested in applying for our CSA box delivery driver position or as a worker in our packing shed, please send a resume and a short statement of interest to farm@jbgorganic.com.  Experience driving a box truck a plus.  For more information, call 512-386-5273.

3)  Updates, Meetings, and  Events

• Spring Potluck Recap!

What a wonderful time on Saturday.  We loved spending the afternoon with all of you who came out.

Farmers in the making?

• Slow Money Austin 2010 Conference at Austin City Hall, April 21st

The April 21 Slow Money Austin Showcase, held in partnership with the Sustainable Food Center and the City of Austin, provides an afternoon-­?long program laying out the players, the issues and the opportunities involved in a healthy food system. With this event, Slow Money Austin brings together consumers, food businesses, civic leaders and investors to learn about the regional food chain, and explore funding alternatives essential to the continued growth of the regional food economy.

Specific program highlights include: -­? The Current Status and Future of a Sustainable Central Texas Food System -­? “Farm to Table to Farm” Showcase of Regional Food Enterprises -­? Delivering Slow Money to Austin Attendees of the April 21 City Hall event will receive a gift bag featuring local fare from Better Bites of Austin’s food purveyors, and are invited to attend the Slow Money Austin Happy Hour immediately following.

Co-­?hosted by La Condesa, this networking event, held directly upstairs at Malverde, will showcase local ingredients as fashioned by TX-­?born, nationally esteemed Executive Chef Rene Ortiz. The following day, April 22, Slow Money Austin and nationally recognized Barr Mansion host a special Earth Day dinner prepared by the Dai Due Supper Club.  Read more about the Slow Money Conference and Showcase and register to attend here.

• Interested in Becoming a CSA Site Host?

JBG is always looking for new delivery locations that are convenient for our members. If you’re interested in becoming a CSA host, there are a few things you should consider: What you need:

• A shady, covered carport or porch, preferably that’s air-conditioned.
• Space for at least 10 CSA boxes.
• Convenient parking for other members to drop by and pick up their boxes.
• A pickup site that’s accessible every week from mid-afternoon (around 3 p.m.) until 7 p.m.

What you do:

• Hosts store empty boxes until our delivery driver picks them up the following week. JBG asks that you put away the boxes that day or the next.
• After the delivery period ends, you distribute unclaimed veggies to charity or a needy family.
• You do not have to be present during pickup hours. Pickups are self-serve and on the honor system.

Perks:

• Hosts receive a complimentary CSA box every quarter.

JBG will work with you to determine which weekday fits best with the delivery route and schedule. If you’re interested in becoming a CSA host, please email farm@jbgorganic.com.

• Nominate JBG as Your Favorite Slow Money Business!

The Slow Money Alliance is taking votes on your favorite slow money businesses.  If you mention JBG, we’ll be promoted at their national gathering in Vermont this June.  If you have a second, click over and give us a shout out!

• Workshares!  Come Help Us Harvest Garlic!

Some of you helped us weed it a few weeks ago, and now we are ready to harvest it!  Rows and rows of lovely garlic.  If you are available on Wednesday morning, come and help us harvest garlic and set it out to dry.  This is a big task so we’ll need lots of help!  You’ll be sure to repel mosquitoes and vampires for weeks.

4) Quotable Food

“Eating is an agricultural act.”  –Wendell Berry

5) Recipes

• Romano Risotto with Radishes

Ingredients:

For risotto:

• 6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (48 fl ounces)
• 2 cups hot water
• 3/4 stick unsalted butter, divided
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped (1 cup)
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 pound Arborio rice (2 1/2 cups)
• 2/3 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano

For radishes:

• 1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound trimmed radishes, julienned
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives

• Accompaniment: extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling

6) Produce Storage Tips

Spinach is best stored in a plastic bag or Tupperware in the vegetable crisper for 3-5 days.

To keep broccoli at its freshest stage, store it for 3 to 5 days in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.  Broccoli can also be stored by freezing it. Peel the leaves from the stalk. Blanch the broccoli in steam for 5 minutes. Cool, and then place the broccoli in a sealed plastic bag. Broccoli can be stored in the freezer for up to 10 months.

Johnson's Backyard Garden is safe with Cowboy Spiderman watching our back

7) Johnson’s Backyard Garden Contact Info

Johnson’s Backyard Garden
9515 Hergotz Lane, Box E
Austin, TX 78742
Office Phone: 512.386.5273
Office Hours: M-Th 8am to 5pm, Friday 8am to 12pm

The farm office is closed 12 pm to 1 pm for lunch.

e-mail: farm@jbgorganic.com

1) In Your Box this Week

2) Farm News:

• From the Farmer’s Perspective … The Spring Potluck
• Spring is Here!  By Grit Ramuschkat, JBG Resident

3)  Updates, Meetings, and  Events

• JBG Meet and Eat!  This Saturday, April 10, 4pm till dark!
• Slow Money Austin 2010 Conference at Austin City Hall, April 21st
• Interested in Becoming a CSA Site Host?
• Wanna Trade?
• Happy Kitchen/La Cocina Alegre™ Cooking Class Series, a project of Sustainable Food Center, is now open to the community.  There are just a couple spots left to fill in this series, and it starts next week – so please sign up today.

4) Quotable Food

5) Recipes

• Mediterranean Rice-Stuffed Escarole
• Pan Seared Salmon on Baby Arugula

6) Produce Storage Tips

7) Johnson’s Backyard Garden Contact Info

Another Johnson family came out last week to learn about veggies and help harvest

1) In Your Box this Week

Carrots
Beets
Bok Choy
Kale or Collards
Kohlrabi or

radish
Green Onions
Lettuce
Endive
Parsley or Dill

Dandelion or Spinach

2) Farm News:

• From the Farmer’s Perspective …. Our Spring Potluck

Our spring potluck is like an announcement of the spring season. We are so grateful for these sunny days. All our crops are loving the heat and growing so big!  We really appreciate all the kind words we’ve been getting about our boxes. Your encouraging emails really mean a lot to us here. We’re always so happy to hear that you are enjoying the boxes we make for you. We have a lot of things still coming; in the next few weeks we’ll be harvesting garlic, leeks, and swiss chard for the boxes!

Last week we started staking and caging our tomatoes. That’s right, they’re already growing big enough now that they will need some support soon. We’re expecting tomatoes as early as May, so get ready! To make sure that all of our nightshades grow big and produce a lot of fruit, we are embarking on an organic fertilization program that we are going to evaluate at the end of the season. The program consists not only of organic fish sulfur and compost, but also garlic spray, which is a natural insect repellant. Bugs have been a big problem in the past with our tomatoes, and until now the only measure we’ve taken has been to plant a lot more than we need, so we could share! With this new program, we’re hoping the bugs won’t be as big of a problem, and we can keep more of our tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers healthier, longer.

We hope to see all of you on Saturday!  Be prepared for some delicious local, organic food!

We let our older broccoli plants go to flower. The bees are loving it, and don't worry, we have plenty more coming!

• Spring is Here!, By Grit Ramuschkat, JBG Resident

3)  Updates, Meetings, and  Events

• Saturday is Your Lucky Day!  …Join us for JBG’s Annual Spring Potluck!

We look forward to seeing you this Saturday at JBG’s Spring

Potluck and Open House! Be sure to arrive early to catch Elizabeth

McQueen (of Asleep at the Wheel) play at 4:30 p.m., then stay for

tasty food and lots of fun activities.

The potluck starts at 4 p.m. and will go ‘til dark in the Pecan

Orchard. Come see where your food is grown, meet the staff and enjoy

some delicious, locally grown food. The event is open to the public

and family-friendly, so invite your friends and bring the kids!

What to Bring: lawn chairs, plates, utensils and a dish to share.

We’ll provide drinks, but BYOB. Pack your swimsuit for water

activities. We will also be silk screening JBG t-shirts, so bring a

shirt to design!

Directions: From 71 going east towards the airport, turn at

Dalton, which is right before Gatti’s Pizza (you have to make a

U-turn in order to get to Dalton). Turn right, and follow Dalton to

Hergotz Lane. Turn right onto Hergotz. Hergotz will branch right

into a no outlet street. Turn right into the last driveway on

Hergotz and park near the Pecan Orchard. Come Hungry!

• Slow Money Austin 2010 Conference at Austin City Hall, April 21st

• Interested in Becoming a CSA Site Host?

JBG is always looking for new delivery locations that are convenient for our members. If you’re interested in becoming a CSA host, there are a few things you should consider: What you need:

• A shady, covered carport or porch, preferably that’s air-conditioned.
• Space for at least 10 CSA boxes.
• Convenient parking for other members to drop by and pick up their boxes.
• A pickup site that’s accessible every week from mid-afternoon (around 3 p.m.) until 7 p.m.

What you do:

• Hosts store empty boxes until our delivery driver picks them up the following week. JBG asks that you put away the boxes that day or the next.
• After the delivery period ends, you distribute unclaimed veggies to charity or a needy family.
• You do not have to be present during pickup hours. Pickups are self-serve and on the honor system.

Perks:

• Hosts receive a complimentary CSA box every quarter.

JBG will work with you to determine which weekday fits best with the delivery route and schedule. If you’re interested in becoming a CSA host, please email farm@jbgorganic.com.

• Wanna Trade?
  

JBG is always looking to its members for new skills or ideas to contribute to the farm.  Good at photography?  Web site design?  Recipe writing?  We’d be happy to trade for a few CSA boxes!  Just call or email the office and let us know you’re interested. farm@jbgorganic.com or 512-386-5273.

• The Happy Kitchen/La Cocina Alegre™ Cooking Class Series

Here’s a chance to take one of The Happy Kitchen’s nationally recognized cooking and nutrition classes! Learn how to select and prepare healthful, seasonal foods as well as nutrition information that can help you meet your health and wellness goals.

Class Time: Tuesdays April 20-May 25; 5:15-6:45

Location: Dept. of State Health Services, 1100 West 49th Street,78756 (across Lamar from the Triangle)

Cost: $195, free parking available in covered garage

What you get:

- 6 1.5 hour classes filled with cooking and nutrition information

- 5 bags of groceries (one at each of the 1st 5 classes) to try that week’s recipe at home

- Numerous recipes and nutrition handouts

- A free copy of The Happy Kitchen cookbook

- One free bag of local, seasonal produce

For more information or to register, email Katy@SustainableFoodCenter.org

“Personally, I have been very impressed by the slow food movement. It is about celebrating the culture of food, of sharing the extraordinary knowledge, developed over millennia, of the traditions involved with quality food production, of the sheer joy and pleasure of consuming food together. Especially within the context of family life, this has to be one of the highest forms of cultural activity.”

-Prince Charles

1 large head escarole (1 1/4 pound)

3/4 cup Arborio rice

1/2 cup pine nuts

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 (12-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, rinsed and coarsely chopped

1/3 cup golden raisins

3 tablespoons chopped rinsed capers

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, divided